Just 'Greens': Why the Army changed the name of new uniform

The U.S. Army's new uniform may look a lot like the iconic pinks-and-greens worn during World War II, but senior leaders decided to drop the pinks and go with Army Greens as the official name.

Pinks and greens "was a World War II nickname given to it by the soldiers because one of the sets of pants had a pink hue to them. So that is where it came from," Sergeant Major of the Army Daniel Dailey said recently.

The current blue Army Service Uniform, or ASU, will become the optional dress uniform and undergo a name change of its own, Dailey said.

Officials are working on the wear regulations for both uniforms. Once Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley approves them, the service will release All Army Activities, or ALARACT, messages online so soldiers can "click and see the updates to the new regulations," Dailey said.

Prototypes of the Army Greens uniform, shown above. Initial fielding of the new uniform is expected to occur in the summer of 2020.

(US Army photo by Ron Lee)

"So basically, we are dusting off old regulations. We will take a look at them. We have a few more decisions we have to present to the chief of staff before we can publish those," he said, adding that the regulation on the ASU will include a new name for the uniform. "It will not be called the Army Service Uniform anymore. It will probably go back to the dress blues."

The ASU became mandatory for wear in 2014, replacing the Army dress green uniform, which saw 61 years of service.

The service plans to begin issuing the Army Greens to new soldiers in summer 2020. Troops will also have the option to begin buying the new uniform at that time.